Mother Russia / Social Customs and Traditions in Modern Day Russia

Social Customs When greeting, Russians shake firmly, friends may kiss on the cheek, and say, Zdravstvuyte or privet ("hello"). Kak dela ("how are you") is taken literally, and may require a lengthy answer. English is widely spoken by most citizens under the age of 35, but efforts to speak Russian are appreciated. Russians have three names: Their first name, patronymic (father's first name), and last name. At a formal first meeting, use the first name and …

…the Russian Orthodox only. Originally other Christian groups were welcomed by the Orthodox Church to help make religious material and training available. In recent years the feelings have shifted. The other "sects" are not seen as legitimate religions. Recent laws have been passed in the Duma to restrict other religious groups from meeting publicly. Since the Orthodox Church does have clout with the government, the potential for excluding other religious groups could become a reality.